Published 7:59 am, Monday, November 16, 2015

The trophy may never find a permanent home. But at least it has a name.

When the alumni basketball teams from the Pasadena ISD and Deer Park High collide again this year on the championship night of the McDonald’s Texas Invitational, they’ll be battling for a trophy newly named for two coaches remembered for enriching the basketball traditions of each community.

The winning team will take possession of the Carlisle-Talton Alumni Challenge Trophy, which now carries the names of the late Billy Carlisle, Deer Park’s head basketball coach from 1986 to 2006, and the late Scott Talton, Dobie’s head basketball coach from 1981 to 2008.

The contest, set for Saturday night (Nov. 21), will be the third between the two squads since the Alumni Challenge was inaugurated at a pre-game feature of the Texas Invitational’s Division 1 Boys Gold championship game.

Eighteen alumni players from Deer Park will square off against 18 alumni players from five Pasadena ISD schools. Game time is 6 p.m. at Phillips Field House.

The Texas Invitational’s grand finale is set for 8 p.m.

Deer Park won the first Alumni Challenge, but Pasadena bounced back to claim last year’s contest.

A ceremony to officially announce the trophy christening is planned for halftime of this year’s game.

Over a span of 20 seasons, Carlisle’s Deer Park teams won four bi-district championships and produced numerous all-district players and district most valuable players. He won over 300 games at the helm of the Deer.

Talton served as Dobie’s varsity basketball coach for 27 years, retiring as the winningest basketball coach in Pasadena ISD history. His teams compiled a 500-391 record while winning four district titles and six bi-district titles in 15 playoff trips. His 1995 team reached the regional championship game.

Carlisle died in 2006 shortly after collapsing during a Deer Park game. He was 51. Talton died just one year after his retirement. He was 59.

The home courts at the two high schools are named after these master coaches.

The Deer Park alumni will be coached again this year by former Deer coach Ray Landers. Back this year to guide the Pasadena team is former Pasadena High head coach Phil Eaton.

The squads will be divided into older and younger groups. Those groups will compete against other until the fourth quarter, when rules allow for open play.